Just The Normal
by NoteEmmy
Summary: Honda's left in the rain after Shizuka runs off. It's almost too much good luck that Ishizu happened to be out for her tea at that moment.


It was time million and two that Shizuka had carelessly left him behind. The girl just didn't get it, and Honda couldn't seem to put it to words how he felt. It just felt like it didn't matter anymore. She obviously wasn't interested in him. But something about the youth made him feel so wanted and needed. It was a great feeling that he chased… until she left him out in the cold.

Or this time in the rain. She'd taken the umbrella he'd offered when the first rumbles of thunder had echoed across Domino's skyline. It was his own fault. And though he offered to walk her home she was gone now, and he was standing in the middle of the sidewalk with a downpour overhead.

It was strange to think he'd become so desperate. Were there no other women that he could go after? Why Shizuka? How many times would he be spurned and come back anyway? Was this really okay?

Lost in his thoughts it took him a minute to realize someone was tilting an umbrella over his head and shielding him from the rain. When he realized he jerked upright from his defeated and slumped position to look over his shoulder.

The face was almost unfamiliar. He hadn't seen the woman in quite some time. Her blue eyes were sparkling like she knew something he didn't. Not an uncommon look for her. "You're going to get very sick if you stand in the rain like that." Ishizu chided with a tease.

"Huh?" Either it was that he couldn't understand the simple fact that someone was paying attention to him for once, a woman no less, or he really didn't realize who it was. Realization kicked in after a few seconds and he straightened a bit more with a forced grin. "Nah. I'll be fine."

The smile widened a bit. "Surely. But perhaps standing out in the open is not the best decision?" She'd been walking up the steep sidewalk hill and seen his figure just standing there. Staring off in the distance. Unmoving. It was a little unsettling. They weren't the best of friends but she couldn't let that go and walk right by him. He looked so forlorn.

Her smile got to him a little and the one he gave back was a little more real. "Probably." It was just nice to talk to someone real for once. Everyone else was so busy with their lives he had forgotten what it was like. Anyone else that paid him attention hardly felt like they were doing it for any reason other than their own gain.

The umbrella shifted back along her own shoulder as she stepped closer to him, avoiding the light rain she'd allowed on her to shadow him. "I was just on my way to get some tea." A box of it- but now that she'd run into the other she found she was feeling up to visiting a nearby cafe. Fortuitous meetings were ones she never ignored.

The implication that she was asking him to go somewhere with her turned him awkward. "I don't like tea." Soft stuff. Not something he really enjoyed.

Ishizu smirked. "That's fine. They serve coffee there too." It seemed she wasn't taking no for an answer, whatever the reason may be and started walking.

Predictably Honda kept up to her stride, if only to stay out of the rain. His hands went to his pockets as he walked along with her, glancing out of the corner of his eye every chance he got. He'd never really been this close to Ishizu and it had been a while since he'd seen her. He'd never really realized how beautiful the woman was. Exotic looking to be sure, but she was elegant … and still smiling.

She led him to a corner cafe, out of the sight of most people. He'd never been there before, either. The umbrella was shaken and tucked underneath her arm and she ushered him inside to a back booth by a window. The streets were empty now save for the constant pounding of the rain outside and the occasional streak of lightening.

His elbow had immediately went to the table so that he could put his chin in his palm and stare distantly out the window. It didn't really suit Ishizu.

"What's troubling you?"

For a moment he couldn't really believe she was asking that. Either because he didn't want to believe a woman who was a relative stranger really cared or because he didn't want to think too much about how pathetic he must have looked. "Nothing." An easy enough answer. When she shot him a dry look he eased up. "Normal stuff." She certainly wouldn't know anything about that.

She'd always been drenched in mystery and all that otherworldly garbage Yuugi was mixed up in constantly- …well, used to be. It was a sore reminder of it all seeing her. Perhaps his answer had been a bit more vindictive than he'd realized.

And when he did and she was still looking at him he eased up even more. "Sorry." She nodded as if she knew what he was apologizing for. She didn't have that item around her neck anymore (and Honda's eyes drifted to glance at the empty spot briefly before raising back to hers quickly) but it always felt like she could read minds-

That's not what her item did anyway, was it? No that was Pegasus.

All of it was stuff he didn't want to be reminded of. Why had he followed her here?

"Just trying to find somewhere to be after everything." That felt like a real answer that wasn't entirely scathing.

The woman nodded. "I can understand that." Truly. Sincerely.

And as Honda watched her eyes he really got the feeling that she was being honest. Hadn't she been stuck in this like everyone else? Her life had ended up even crazier. His eyes lowered and his smile turned a bit sad. "Yeah."

The moment she reached out over the table to lay her hand on his he really felt like for the first time someone was paying attention. To him. Normal boring Honda. Not a duelist. Not a world saver. Not an anything. Just a person. A friend.

And there she was, just paying attention to him like he was the most important person in her world in that moment. Looking at him like she was waiting for him to keep going so she could keep talking to him. Ishizu cared.

"…yeah."


End file.
